Mary Mwanyika-Sando, MD

Get to know Mary

Mary Mwanyika-Sando, MD, spearheaded improvements in maternal and child health programs in Dar es Salaam, rolling out anti-retroviral treatment in dozens of clinics as part of a campaign that became a model for many other sub-Saharan African countries.

One key to a healthy future for Africa, Mwanyika-Sando says, is involving the women patients themselves in their own care and treatment.

“I have learned that when a woman is educated about her and her family’s health, there is a ripple effect; first to her neighbours, then to her community, until the entire country is healthier and stronger.”

Currently completing her Master of Public Health (MPH) in global health and population at the Harvard School of Public Health (HSPH), Mwaynika-Sando has also played a key role in protocol writing and preparation for the implementation of various research study projects, including a randomized controlled trial comparing the effectiveness, cost-effectiveness, feasibility, and acceptability of two WHO PMTCT regimens and a community health care worker intervention to improve antenatal clinic and PMTCT uptake and retention.

Mwanyika-Sando has worked with as a physician treating HIV patients and later assumed a dual role of Medical Monitor for HIV/AIDS clinical services within 50 supported sites and for a U.S.-funded Trial of Vitamins (TOV3) study on adult HIV patients initiating ART conducted within seven of the largest HIV clinics in the region.

Mwanyika-Sando is an active member of various national medical technical working groups in Tanzania and she also served as the publicity secretary for the Medical Women Association of Tanzania (MEWATA) from 2007-2011, a champion organization for breast cancer screening campaigns in Tanzania.

Videos

Op-Eds

Features

FEATURED: Undaunted - New Voices Mary Mwanyika Sando

6/25/2014

Aspen Ideas Festival: Spotlight Health Undaunted

Dr. Mary Mwanyika-Sando recalls a life she couldn't save, and why that inspires the work she does now. As part of the Undaunted: 10 frontline innovators shaping global health session at the Aspen Ideas Festival The Aspen Ideas Festival is the nation's premier, public gathering place for leaders...

9/12/2014

Maternal Health Task Force

This post is part of the Maternal and Newborn Integration Blog Series, which shares themes of and reactions to the “Integration of Maternal and Newborn Health: In Pursuit of Quality” technical meeting On September 9th and 10th, the Maternal Health Task Force and Save the Children’s Saving Newborn...

More From Mary

FEATURED: ActBold Hero Series: Dr. Mary Mwanyika-Sando

3/11/2014

ActBold

“I have learned that when a woman is educated about her and her family’s health, there is a ripple effect; first to her neighbours, then to her community, until the entire country is healthier and stronger.” — Mary Mwanyika-Sando In honor of Women’s History Month, I am blogging about women...